


Emergency Christmas Protocol

by VictoriaHolmesWriting



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Reader-Insert, Secret Santa Fanfic 2019, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21946324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaHolmesWriting/pseuds/VictoriaHolmesWriting
Summary: When his best friend's Christmas needs saving, Tony Start comes to the rescue with some back-up.
Kudos: 8





	Emergency Christmas Protocol

**Author's Note:**

> This is for @grangertrix on Tumblr! Merry Christmas! -Vi

(Y/N) opened her eyes to find Steve sitting in a chair beside the infirmary bed and Tony leaning against the wall in front of her. Both men wore solemn expressions.

Alarmed, she tried to sit up too quickly. Her head suddenly felt like it was splitting in half, black spots momentarily clouding her vision. Steve caught her by the shoulders as she pressed the heel of her palm between her brows.

“Easy,” he said in a soft voice. He piled her pillows up and carefully helped her lean back against them. “How’s that?”

“Better,” she replied, accepting the water glass he handed her. As she took a sip, her eyes locked with Tony’s. This whole time, Steve had tried to smile at her. He was terrible at lying, but at least he was putting in some effort.

Not Tony. He was an exceptional liar, but he made no effort to do so.

She suddenly became very aware of the absence of any nurses in the room.  
“What’s wrong?” she demanded. The question was aimed at Tony, but he dropped his gaze to the floor.

Gently taking her hand, Steve explained in the comforting voice he used when she was upset -- or was about to be. “The thing is, (y/n) -- while there is nothing seriously wrong with you -- you hit your head pretty hard on that last mission.”

She gave him a deadpan look. “You know, somehow, I’d kinda figured that part out.”

It took everything Tony had not to laugh, but the knowledge of what Steve was warming up to kept him quiet. 

Steve sighed. “Yes, well, it unfortunately means you can’t go anywhere for awhile. I’m sorry, (y/n). But- but you can’t go home for Christmas.”

(Y/N)’s heart sank. She looked back and forth between them, desperately hoping that one of them would say it’s a joke. That she could go home to where she grew up. Go to the square to see the big Christmas tree and listen to the carolers, just like she had done every year since she was a little girl.

But she knew they weren’t.

She wanted to scream and yell and cry. To argue and beg them to find a way. 

But she didn’t. There was no point. They wouldn’t be here, breaking the news to her with such pain and empathy in their eyes, if there was any other way.

So she didn’t make a sound.

Only the silent tears running down her face and the increased beeping of the monitor gave her away.

She vaguely registered alarm on Steve and Tony’s faces as two nurses rushed into the room.

Tony watched on, jaw clenched, as they shooed Steve away from the young hero, who's eyes silently screamed. They gave her a mild sedative and laid her back down on the bed.

“Come on, Tony,” Steve said, holding the door open.

Throwing his hands in his pockets, he left the room. 

Steve shut the door behind them. “I wish there was something we could do,” he sighed.

“There is. Follow me.” Tony tapped the communicator on his wrist. “FRIDAY, Emergency Christmas Protocol: tell everyone that’s here to meet me in the common room in ten minutes.”

“What’s your plan?” Steve asked, ready to do anything her best friend had in mind to bring a smile to her face.

“She can’t go home for Christmas, so we’re going to bring Christmas to her.”

~ ~ ~

Several hours later, (y/n) was woken up by a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“(Y/N)?” a familiar voice called through the fog of dissipating sleep meds. Tony waited as her eyes flickered open and she got her bearings.

“Tony? What is it?” her words were slow and slightly slurred.

Knowing she probably wasn’t in the mood for him to be his usual smartass-self, he filtered out all the retorts that immediately came to mind. “Come on. I need to show you something.”

She rolled her eyes, pulling the blanket up to her chin. “I’m not in the mood.”

Tony shook his head. “Trust me, (y/n), when I tell you you’re not gonna want to miss this. Now, come on!”

“Tony!” she whined.

“I swear to god, I will carry you over my shoulder, if you don’t get your stubborn ass up!” When she didn’t immediately get up, he sighed, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

She jumped up as he took hold of her blanket. “Okay, okay! You win!” she laughed.

Throwing on her jacket and sneakers and tying her hair into a messy bun, she went with Tony into the hallway. He put an arm around her shoulders to guide her and keep her steady.

“I promise, you’re going to love it! In fact, you’re cry and proceed to thank me endlessly for the next 10 years.” His grin grew wider when she rolled her eyes again.”

“Is that so, Mr. Humble?” she chuckled.

He shrugged, still grinning, as he opened the doors to the common room. “You tell me.”

(Y/N) gasped as Tony ushered her inside.

Red, green, and white fairy lights hung all over the room. Tinsel garland outlined the fireplace mantle, where seven red stockings adorned with the Avengers’ insignia hung. A lavish ball of mistletoe hung from the light in the middle of the room. And right there, against the frosty windows, was an enormous Christmas tree all decked out in lights, ornaments, candy canes, and a gorgeous star.

Steve, Natasha, Vision, Wanda, and Pepper stood around the room -- each wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater the nearest convenience store had to offer -- watching her reaction to their hard work with excited anticipation.

“Tony rallied us together to pull this off,” Wanda explained. She walked over and handed her an equally ugly Christmas sweater with Santa wrapping Rudolph in lights -- that actually lit up! “He picked this one out for you.”

(Y/N) looked around at Tony in disbelief. Completely at a loss for words, she waited for him to say something.

He shrugged, “Couldn’t let you spend Christmas alone. We Avengers stick together. Or something cheesy like that…. Let’s have some music!”

She giggled at his awkwardness while Steve put a Bing Crosby vinyl on the record player. “Thank you, Tony!” she said, kissing his beet-red cheek. “Thank you all so much!”

Replacing her jacket with the sweater, she and Tony joined the others.

That whole night, she laughed and celebrated the holiday with them, thankful beyond words for her best friend and the wonderfully weird family she’d stumbled into.


End file.
